diff --git a/src/pf1e_simulator/config.py b/src/pf1e_simulator/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03e8d63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pf1e_simulator/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"""Environment-driven configuration for the phase-2 LLM layer (P1).
+
+Architecture doc section 15: the phase-2 code never hard-codes data or
+configuration paths -- every externally supplied value is resolved here from
+the environment, so the repository can keep shipping pure code once the data
+sets and the prompt pack detach. The prompt-pack contract is documented in
+section 14 (see :mod:`pf1e_simulator.prompt`).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+
+# Environment variable names (documented in the architecture doc, sections
+# 14-15). ``PF1E_PROMPT_PACK_DIR`` points at the external, versioned prompt
+# pack; ``PF1E_LLM_API_KEY`` feeds the remote provider client (P5.1).
+ENV_PROMPT_PACK_DIR = "PF1E_PROMPT_PACK_DIR"
+ENV_LLM_API_KEY = "PF1E_LLM_API_KEY"
+
+
+def env_str(name: str, *, default: str | None = None) -> str | None:
+    """Read a configuration string from the environment, if set."""
+    return os.environ.get(name, default)
+
+
+def env_path(name: str) -> Path | None:
+    """Read a configuration path from the environment, if set."""
+    raw = os.environ.get(name)
+    return Path(raw) if raw else None
+
+
+def llm_api_key() -> str | None:
+    """The provider API key, or None when the caller runs offline."""
+    return env_str(ENV_LLM_API_KEY)
+
diff --git a/src/pf1e_simulator/prompt.py b/src/pf1e_simulator/prompt.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1132e17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pf1e_simulator/prompt.py
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+"""Externally-loaded, versioned prompt pack for the phase-2 LLM layer (P1).
+
+Prompts do NOT live in this repository (architecture doc section 14 -- the
+repo is code only). They live in a separate, versioned pack directory,
+resolved through configuration (env var ``PF1E_PROMPT_PACK_DIR``, never
+hard-coded -- section 15). This module loads a pack once per resolved path,
+exposes each prompt by name and computes the ``prompt_version`` that must
+enter the response-cache composite key (decision D6), the ``ReplayRecord``
+and the sweep reports, so a campaign stays reproducible after a prompt edit
+(traceability rule, section 14).
+
+Pack layout
+-----------
+<pack_dir>/
+    version.txt      # single line: semver or commit hash (mandatory)
+    <name>.md        # one file per prompt name, e.g. ``nl_default.md``
+
+Loading is eager and strict. A missing pack, a missing ``version.txt`` or a
+missing ``<name>.md`` raises a typed ``PromptPackError`` -- there is no
+silent fallback (validation rule, section 14). Unit tests use the minimal
+local fixture under ``tests/fixtures/prompt_pack/`` so CI never depends on
+the external prompt repository (pinning rule, section 14).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import hashlib
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from functools import cache
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+from pf1e_simulator.config import ENV_PROMPT_PACK_DIR, env_path
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from pathlib import Path
+
+_PROMPT_SUFFIX = ".md"
+_VERSION_FILE = "version.txt"
+_HASH_PREFIX_LEN = 12
+
+
+class PromptPackError(RuntimeError):
+    """A prompt pack is missing, invalid, or lacks a required prompt."""
+
+
+def _pack_error(kind: str, message: str) -> None:
+    msg = f"{kind}: {message}"
+    raise PromptPackError(msg)
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class PromptPack:
+    """A versioned set of prompts loaded from one external directory.
+
+    Instances are immutable (frozen), so a loaded pack can be shared by
+    parallel sweep workers without drift. ``_prompts`` maps prompt names
+    (file stems) to their full text, read at load time.
+    """
+
+    root: Path
+    version: str
+    _prompts: dict[str, str] = field(repr=False)
+
+    def get(self, name: str) -> str:
+        """Return the prompt ``name``'s text, or raise ``PromptPackError``."""
+        try:
+            return self._prompts[name]
+        except KeyError as exc:
+            msg = (
+                f"prompt '{name}' missing from pack at {self.root} "
+                f"(expected file '{name}{_PROMPT_SUFFIX}')"
+            )
+            raise PromptPackError(msg) from exc
+
+    def prompt_version(self, name: str) -> str:
+        """Pack version plus per-prompt content hash (cache-key component, D6)."""
+        content = self.get(name)
+        digest = hashlib.sha256(content.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()[:_HASH_PREFIX_LEN]
+        return f"{self.version}:{name}:{digest}"
+
+    @classmethod
+    def load(cls, root: Path) -> PromptPack:
+        """Load and validate the pack rooted at ``root`` (strict, no fallback)."""
+        if not root.is_dir():
+            _pack_error(
+                "pack directory not found",
+                f"{root} does not exist or is not a directory",
+            )
+        version_file = root / _VERSION_FILE
+        if not version_file.is_file():
+            _pack_error("invalid pack", f"{root} has no {_VERSION_FILE} file")
+        version = version_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip()
+        if not version:
+            _pack_error("invalid pack", f"{root / _VERSION_FILE} is empty")
+        prompts: dict[str, str] = {}
+        for path in sorted(root.glob(f"*{_PROMPT_SUFFIX}")):
+            prompts[path.stem] = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        return cls(root=root, version=version, _prompts=prompts)
+
+
+@cache
+def _load_cached(root: Path) -> PromptPack:
+    """Load once per resolved path (thread-safe; parallel sweeps share it)."""
+    return PromptPack.load(root)
+
+
+def load_prompt_pack(pack_dir: Path | None = None) -> PromptPack:
+    """Load the prompt pack from ``pack_dir`` or the configured directory.
+
+    With ``pack_dir`` given, load that directory directly (tests use this
+    with their local fixture). Otherwise resolve
+    ``PF1E_PROMPT_PACK_DIR``; when unset, raise a clear error instead of
+    falling back to a bundled (non-existent) pack.
+    """
+    if pack_dir is not None:
+        return _load_cached(pack_dir)
+    configured = env_path(ENV_PROMPT_PACK_DIR)
+    if configured is None:
+        _pack_error(
+            "prompt pack not configured",
+            f"set {ENV_PROMPT_PACK_DIR} to the external prompt pack directory "
+            "(architecture doc section 14)",
+        )
+    return _load_cached(configured)
+
+
+def clear_pack_cache() -> None:
+    """Drop the per-path pack cache (used by tests that relocate fixtures)."""
+    _load_cached.cache_clear()
+
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/prompt_pack/nl_default.md b/tests/fixtures/prompt_pack/nl_default.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7dc1287
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/prompt_pack/nl_default.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+You are the tactical director for a Pathfinder 1e battle.
+
+You see the current battle state as a compact observation view, followed by
+the list of plausible actions the acting combatant could take.
+Respond with the JSON action sequence described in the schema.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/prompt_pack/version.txt b/tests/fixtures/prompt_pack/version.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..804a184
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/prompt_pack/version.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0.1.0-test
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_phase2_prompt.py b/tests/test_phase2_prompt.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c0d108
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_phase2_prompt.py
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+"""Phase-2 config and external prompt pack (docs/phase-2 P1a, sections 14-15).
+
+``config.py`` centralizes every phase-2 path/env read (no hard-coded data
+paths - section 15). ``prompt.py`` loads the EXTERNAL, versioned prompt pack
+(section 14): prompts never live in this repo; the pack carries its own
+version and each prompt has an individual content hash, so ``prompt_version``
+can enter the response-cache composite key (D6). The minimal pack under
+``tests/fixtures/prompt_pack/`` is the local fixture so CI never depends on
+the external prompt repository, and missing/invalid packs raise a clear
+``PromptPackError`` instead of falling back silently.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from pf1e_simulator.config import (
+    ENV_LLM_API_KEY,
+    ENV_PROMPT_PACK_DIR,
+    env_path,
+    env_str,
+    llm_api_key,
+)
+from pf1e_simulator.prompt import (
+    PromptPack,
+    PromptPackError,
+    clear_pack_cache,
+    load_prompt_pack,
+)
+
+FIXTURE_PACK = Path(__file__).resolve().parent / "fixtures" / "prompt_pack"
+_FIXTURE_VERSION = "0.1.0-test"
+_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME = "nl_default"
+
+
+def _write_pack(root: Path, *, version: str, prompts: dict[str, str]) -> None:
+    """Write a minimal prompt pack directory (version.txt + <name>.md)."""
+    root.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    (root / "version.txt").write_text(version, encoding="utf-8")
+    for name, text in prompts.items():
+        (root / f"{name}.md").write_text(text, encoding="utf-8")
+
+
+# ── config.py ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_env_str_and_path_round_trip(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    tmp_path: Path,
+) -> None:
+    """env_str/env_path read the environment and respect deletes."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("PF1E_SIM_TEST_STR", "abc")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("PF1E_SIM_TEST_PATH", str(tmp_path / "x"))
+    assert env_str("PF1E_SIM_TEST_STR") == "abc"
+    assert env_str("PF1E_SIM_TEST_UNSET") is None
+    assert env_str("PF1E_SIM_TEST_UNSET", default="d") == "d"
+    assert env_path("PF1E_SIM_TEST_PATH") == tmp_path / "x"
+    assert env_path("PF1E_SIM_TEST_UNSET") is None
+    monkeypatch.delenv("PF1E_SIM_TEST_STR")
+    assert env_str("PF1E_SIM_TEST_STR") is None
+
+
+def test_llm_api_key_reads_env(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    """llm_api_key surfaces the dedicated env var (None when unset)."""
+    assert llm_api_key() is None
+    monkeypatch.setenv(ENV_LLM_API_KEY, "sk-test")
+    assert llm_api_key() == "sk-test"
+
+
+# ── prompt.py — loading and validation ─────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_load_fixture_pack() -> None:
+    """The local fixture loads: version pinned, prompts readable by name."""
+    pack = load_prompt_pack(FIXTURE_PACK)
+    assert pack.version == _FIXTURE_VERSION
+    assert pack.root == FIXTURE_PACK
+    text = pack.get(_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME)
+    assert "tactical director" in text
+    # The pack has exactly the fixture prompts (only <name>.md files count).
+    assert pack.get("nl_default") == (FIXTURE_PACK / "nl_default.md").read_text(
+        encoding="utf-8"
+    )
+
+
+def test_prompt_version_stable_and_content_sensitive(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """prompt_version carries pack version + per-prompt content hash (D6)."""
+    pack = load_prompt_pack(FIXTURE_PACK)
+    a = pack.prompt_version(_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME)
+    b = pack.prompt_version(_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME)
+    assert a == b  # deterministic within a loaded pack
+    assert a.startswith(f"{_FIXTURE_VERSION}:{_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME}:")
+
+    other = tmp_path / "other"
+    _write_pack(other, version=_FIXTURE_VERSION, prompts={_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME: "x"})
+    assert load_prompt_pack(other).prompt_version(_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME) != a
+
+    bumped = tmp_path / "bumped"
+    _write_pack(bumped, version="1.0.0", prompts={_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME: "x"})
+    assert load_prompt_pack(bumped).prompt_version(_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME).startswith(
+        "1.0.0:"
+    )
+
+
+def test_missing_prompt_raises_clear_error(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """A missing prompt name fails loudly, naming the expected file."""
+    other = tmp_path / "other"
+    _write_pack(other, version="1.0.0", prompts={"other": "x"})
+    with pytest.raises(PromptPackError, match=r"missing.*nl_default\.md"):
+        load_prompt_pack(other).get("nl_default")
+
+
+def test_missing_pack_dir_raises(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """A nonexistent pack path is a clear error, not a silent fallback."""
+    with pytest.raises(PromptPackError, match="not found"):
+        load_prompt_pack(tmp_path / "nope")
+
+
+def test_missing_version_file_raises(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """A pack without version.txt is invalid (traceability, section 14)."""
+    root = tmp_path / "noversion"
+    _write_pack(root, version="", prompts={})
+    (root / "version.txt").unlink()
+    with pytest.raises(PromptPackError, match="version\\.txt"):
+        load_prompt_pack(root)
+
+
+def test_empty_version_file_raises(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """An empty version.txt is invalid (no untraceable pack)."""
+    root = tmp_path / "emptyversion"
+    _write_pack(root, version="", prompts={_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME: "x"})
+    with pytest.raises(PromptPackError, match="empty"):
+        load_prompt_pack(root)
+
+
+def test_unset_pack_dir_raises(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    """Without PF1E_PROMPT_PACK_DIR, loading raises instead of falling back."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv(ENV_PROMPT_PACK_DIR, raising=False)
+    with pytest.raises(PromptPackError, match=ENV_PROMPT_PACK_DIR):
+        load_prompt_pack()
+
+
+def test_pack_dir_from_env(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    """load_prompt_pack() resolves the pack through the env var (section 15)."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv(ENV_PROMPT_PACK_DIR, str(FIXTURE_PACK))
+    assert load_prompt_pack().version == _FIXTURE_VERSION
+    monkeypatch.delenv(ENV_PROMPT_PACK_DIR)
+
+
+def test_cache_and_clear(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Repeated loads share the cached instance; clear_pack_cache drops it."""
+    root = tmp_path / "cached"
+    _write_pack(root, version="1.0.0", prompts={_FIXTURE_PROMPT_NAME: "x"})
+    first = load_prompt_pack(root)
+    assert load_prompt_pack(root) is first
+    clear_pack_cache()
+    assert load_prompt_pack(root) is not first
+
+
+def test_load_returns_prompt_pack_instance() -> None:
+    """The loaded object is a PromptPack (typed API for the client layer)."""
+    pack = load_prompt_pack(FIXTURE_PACK)
+    assert isinstance(pack, PromptPack)
+    assert pack.version == _FIXTURE_VERSION
+